Earth-100
by zajaz
Summary: This is the story of one of the many worlds of the Marvel Multiverse.
1. Susan Storm I

'Reed?', I called my husband, holding the piece of paper in my hand. 'Reed, are you here?'.

I began touring the laboratory of the Baxter Building, the place where Reed used to perform his experiments and tests. The laboratory was an immense place, full of all kinds of devices, gadgets and machines. Sometimes I couldn't help thinking about how lonely Reed must felt working alone in that place.

While searching for my husband, I heard strange sounds that seemed to be coming from a section of the lab just a few steps ahead of me, so I went down the hall until I found source of the sounds.

'Hi, sister'.

'Johnny?', I exclaimed. 'What are you doing in Reed's lab?'.

My brother laughed. 'Nothing. I was just ... you know ... taking a look. This place is amazing. I must admit Reed really surpassed himself this time'.

'Have you seen him?' I asked him.

'Excuse me?'.

'Have you seen Reed, Johnny?'

'I thought he was with you'. Johnny shrugged. 'Maybe he went out to take some air and have a little fun.' My brother immediately burst out laughing. 'Not even I could believe that one. Reed Richards having fun! That for sure was one of my best jokes'.

'Enough, Johnny', I said. My younger brother always used to take things lightly, like they were mere games, which made me feel stressed out several times a day.

'Oh, come on, Sue! You have to admit it was fun.'.

'No, Johnny, it was not fun. You know Reed has been trying to find a way to reverse Ben to his normal form since we got our powers. It's only natural he doesn't not like to leave the lab'. {Although I wish he'd do that}.

Suddenly, Johnny seemed to notice something. 'Hey, Sue, what's that paper in your hand?'

"It's an invitation from a TV station," I said. "They want an interview with the four of us."

'An interview?'. Johnny's eyes widened. 'Are you serious, Sue? Oh, this is great! '

'Don't get too excited, Johnny. Most likely we won't be going'.

'But we have to go, Sue!', His brother said. 'Think about it, this is our chance to become stars!'

'Enough, Johnny. I'd hoped to find Reed to tell him about this... although I personally wouldn't like to attend.' {And something tells me neither Reed and Ben}.

'Don't be a party pooper, Sue. Haven't you realized that what happened to us is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

'I'm not going to talk about this anymore, Johnny,' I said as I started walking out the door. 'If you see Reed, please tell him I want to talk to him.'

I left the lab a little annoyed with Johnny's attitude. He was my little brother, and I loved him with all my heart, but sometimes ... Well, sometimes Johnny could be the most annoying person on the face of the earth.

I walked down the hallway towards the elevator, still trying to calm myself. When the elevator door opened, I saw Ben getting out of it.

'Hi, Susie', Ben said to me.

'Hi, Ben,' I replied, trying to smile. 'I hadn't realized that you had left.'

'Yeah, well ... I didn't want to bother you or Reed.' Ben had become lonelier since the incident that had given all four of us our powers. I felt bad for him, but at the same time I knew it was best to give him a little space. Ben definitely needed it.

'Speaking of Reed, Ben, do you know where he is? I've been searching for him, but I just can't find him. '

'No, Susie,' Ben shook his head. 'I thought he was here. Did you look in the hangar? '

'The hangar? Why would Reed ...?' Suddenly I understood everything. In recent days, Reed had been talking about starting a new project. 'Thank you, Ben,' I said with a smile.

'No problem, Susie.'

I boarded the elevator and went to the thirty-seventh floor. Once there I walked down the hall and through the door that led to the hangar. To my relief, Reed was there, though he did not seem to notice my presence. Apparently he was working on a kind of vehicle, using his powers to stretch himself and grab some tools out of his reach. After a few moments of looking at him working, I decided it was time to letting know I was there presence felt.

'Reed,' I called, but my husband didn't seem to hear me. 'Reed!'

'Huh?' Reed turned, and when his eyes met mine, I saw see my husband smile. 'Susan'.

'I've been looking for you, Reed,' I told him.

'I'm sorry,' Reed said. 'I guess I lost track of time. What were you looking me for?

'I received an invitation from a TV station. Apparently they want to interview the four of us. I guess they want to ask us the same stupid questions about how we got our powers. '

'I see', Reed replied. 'What do you think?'.

'I'm not really in the mood to go. Franklin needs us.' Our son, who at that time was being cared for by Alicia Masters, a very dear friend of mine, had been born only a couple of months ago.

'You're right,' Reed said.

'Besides', I said 'all this is very ...'.

Baffling?'.

'Yes', I nodded. 'Everyone is now treating us like a bunch of celebrities. I'd just like to regain our old way of life. I miss being able to live in peace like you have no idea. I don't not even want to think about what kind of environment our son will be growing in. '

'I understand you, Susan. That's why I'm trying to decipher exactly what happened to us. '

'Reed, be honest with me ... do you really think you can return us all to normal?'

Reed seemed to consider what he was going to say for a moment. 'I'm not sure, Susan. The cosmic rays that hit us altered all our bodies at a molecular level. Maybe if I had more time ... '

'Well', I interrupted, 'maybe you'd have more time if you didn't get distracted by your little projects'.

'Oh,' Reed said, apparently realizing what I was implying. 'This ... this is just a hobby, Susan. Nothing else'.

I raised an eyebrow. 'Really?'.

'O-of course'.

After meeting Reed, I'd been quick to realize how seriously he took his "little projects." Reed could spend whole days focused on an object of study without interacting much with other people. That was really frustrating because, underneath his cold and calculating exterior, Reed really was the sweetest, most generous man I'd ever known.

'Sometimes I feel you love your projects more than us,' I told him.

Reed left what he was doing and went to me. 'That's ridiculous,' he said as he used his powers to wrap me in his arms. 'Franklin and you are the two most important things in my life.' Reed kissed me on the cheek.

I couldn't help but smile at the gesture. 'You are going to need more than a simple kiss to convince me, Mr. Fantastic.'

Reed smiled. 'Then I guess I'll need to think of something better…'.


	2. Charles Xavier I

'His name is Logan', I told my nine students: the brothers Scott and Alexander Summers; Jean Grey; Robert Drake; Ororo Munroe; Piotr Rasputin and his sister Irina; Kurt Wagner; Warren Worthington III.

My X-Men.

We were all in the conference room of my family's mansion, looking at a screen that was broadcasting images of the now unconscious intruder.

'Any idea why he tried to kill us, Professor?', Scott asked me with bitterness in his voice.

'No', I admitted. 'His mind is ... in chaotic conditions. I'm afraid the only thing I could find out was his name. And I'm not even sure it's his real one'.

'We better interrogate that guy once he wakes up', Warren said.

'Something tells me he won't be happy when that happens,' Bobby intervened.

'I'm afraid that's not the most striking thing about our friend', I said.

'What do you mean, professor?', Jean asked me.

I pressed a button on my wheelchair, which caused the image on the screen to change. 'This is what worries me the most.' The screen showed the X-rays of Logan's skeleton.

I noticed the expression of horror on the faces of my students almost immediately.

'My God'. That was all Doctor Henry McCoy could say. Besides being one of the most experienced teachers in the institute, Hank was also an old, brilliant and very dear friend of mine.

'What is this, Professor?', Scott asked in horror.

'It seems that his skeleton is completely covered with adamantium,' I said. 'An extremely rare and virtually indestructible metal'.

'Part of his mutation, Charles?'.

'No, Hank. I'm afraid the adamantium was surgically implanted'.

'How could he have survived something like that?', Jean asked.

'Because of his mutation', I replied. 'Our friend Logan possesses a healing factor that allows him to survive and heal great wounds'.

'A truly peculiar ability', Hank noted.

'It makes sense', Bobby said.

'What are you talking about?', Alex asked him.

'I mean, think about it: how else could he have withstood the beating we gave him? Dr. McCoy and Peter punch him several times, Jean threw him against a wall, Scott gave him with one of his eye beams at point-blank range ... and that guy is still breathing'.

'What about his claws, Professor?' Scott asked me, ignoring Bobby. 'Are they also implants?'.

'I'm not sure. But, judging by the muscles and bone structure of his wrists, I'd say there is a chance his claws are part of his mutation'.

'Truly curious,' Hank said.

'Who could have done this to him?', Jean asked.

'I really don't know. Throughout my life I have seen several mutants being used as test subjects for all kinds of experiments. But… I'd never ... I'd never seen anything like this before…. '.

Suddenly, one of the alarms in the nursing room activated. I pressed the button on my chair and the image on the screen refocused on Logan, who had already woken up. He apparently was trying to find a way out of the infirmary.

'Well, that didn't take long', Bobby said.

'What now, Professor?', Scott asked me.

'Try to reason with him', I told my students. 'Let him know we're not trying to hurt him'.

'What do we do if he attacks us again?'.

I couldn't help but let out a sigh. 'In that case use force'.

Scott nodded. 'Understood'.

'But only to stop him', I intervened quickly.

'As you say'.

'Irina', Piotr said to his sister, 'stay with the Professor. This might be dangerous, and I do not want you to get hurt'.

'Брат…', Irina said to him.

'Я буду в порядке, снежинка', Piotr said. 'Обещаю'.

'I will stay in psychic contact with you to make sure everything is fine', I said, watching as my students headed towards the infirmary. I had trained most of them for a few years already. And in all that time, my students had shown me again and again how willing they were to fight for the peaceful coexistence between humans and mutants, however difficult it seemed.

I proceeded to concentrate in order to synchronize with the minds of my students.

{Can you hear us, Professor?}, Scott asked me telepathically.

{Yes, Scott}, I replied, {I can hear you}.

From an early age I had realized how different I was from other people. I could still remember how one day, without any warning, I had begun to hear voices, voices of complete strangers that seemed to be coming from inside my head. For a while I thought I was going insane, and my mother and several doctors certainly seemed to share my fears. However, to my great fortune, it didn't take me long to discover what those voices really were: the deepest thoughts and desires of dozens of people around me. From that moment on, my whole life changed completely.

I pressed the button on my chair again and the screen focused on the corridor outside the infirmary. Logan ran erratically on it, angry and confused. I'd seen many mutants express the same emotions once they discovered their powers for the first time ... but something in Logan was different.

{We're reaching the corridor of the infirmary, professor}, Jean informed me.

{Very good, Jean. Proceed with care}. I intensified the telepathic link so I could see through the eyes of each of my students. A few seconds later, they found themselves face to face with Logan, who was on the opposite side of the corridor.

I could feel how nervous my students were at that moment. Logan was watching them with anger burning in his eyes. Quickly I tried to get into Logan's mind, but it was still too chaotic for me to so. His thoughts could hardly be considered coherent.

'Easy, pal', Scott told him. 'We don't want to hurt you.'

Logan pulled out his claws. 'What ... what is this place? Who the hell are you? '.

'This is the Xavier Institute, a school for gifted youth', Jean answered. 'We are its students. Everything is fine. You can trust us, Logan. '

I saw how Logan seemed to calm down for a moment. However, my hopes of not having to use force against him vanished when he lashed out against my students screaming like a wild animal.

'Watch out!', Scott said as Logan approached them.

Jean quickly used her powers and made Logan levitate through the air, who immediately began to resist, letting out several screams and curses. 'Please, calm down!', Jean told him. 'We will not hurt you! Please!'.

{Jean is right, Logan. Nobody will hurt you. You are safe with us}.

Logan cried out in frustration. 'What the hell is going on?!'. Little by little, Logan's mind began to become clearer. I didn't hesitate to use my power to scan his mind. Logan didn't want to hurt us. He was just ... confused.

{There's nothing to fear, Logan. I will explain everything to you if you calm down. You have my word}.

'Get out of my head!'.

{I'll do it as soon as you calm down. Please, Logan, there is no need for this}.

'Let us help you', Jean said, still using her powers on Logan. 'Please'. Logan seemed to stop fighting for a moment and I saw the opportunity to put an end to the situation.

{Jean, release Logan}.

{Professor?}.

{Everything will be fine, Jean. Trust me}.

{O-okay}. Jean stopped using her powers and Logan immediately fell to the floor.

'Bobby, freeze him!', Scott ordered as Logan got up.

{No, Scott! Bobby, let him get up}.

{Professor…}.

{Trust me, Scott}.

Logan rose from the floor with his claws still unsheathed.

'Easy,' Jean said.

'I have no idea who you freaks are...', Logan said, '... but I better get some answers. And fast. '

'We'll try,' Jean told him. 'You just have to relax.'

Logan considered for a moment and then retracted his claws. 'This better not be trap'.

Moments later, I had my students take Logan to my office so I could talk to him personally. 'I'm glad you gave us the opportunity to help you, Logan', I said once I came face to face with him. 'Let me introduce myself. My name is Charles Xavier, and I am the headmaster of this institute for gifted youngsters'.

'I don't care who the hell you are, baldie. I'm only interested in knowing what the fuck I'm doing in this place. '

'I would take care of my manners in front the professor, if I were you', Scott said sharply.

'Stop it, Scott,' I said. It was obvious that Scott didn't feel the slightest confidence towards Logan. 'Everything is fine. Logan is just confused. We don't need another reason to be disturbed. '

'Professor, are you serious? This guy- '.

'Enough', I said. 'All of you, wait outside my office. I'd be better I talked to Logan in private. '

'Are you sure about this, Professor?', Ororo asked me.

'I am'. I smiled. 'Everything will be fine, but I need you to wait outside.'

'Professor…'.

'You heard the bald man', Logan intervened. 'Wait outside'.

My students left the office with hesitation, no doubt worried about my safety. Once we were both alone, I proceeded to talk to Logan.

'I'm sorry about that. I assure you, Logan, you have nothing to worry about'.

'Stop the damn rodeo', Logan said. 'Tell me why I'm here'.

'I was hoping you'd be the one to explain me that. After all, it was _you_ who broke into my mansion. '

Logan frowned. 'I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't even have a fucking idea of how I got to this place'.

'I'd hoped you did, Logan', I started to scan Logan's mind, but to my frustration and bewilderment, I discovered that Logan was not lying. He really didn't remember anything of what had happened before he woke up in the infirmary. Nothing except his name.

'Are you calling me a liar?', Logan asked me.

'No', I replied softly. 'I would never say something like that. Although, if you allow me, I would like to try something. '

'What?'.

'I would like to scan your mind ... in detail'.

'What the hell do you want to do that for?'.

'Maybe that way I can find answers. Answers that can help you. I understand that I'm asking a lot, but I assure you this can be really helpful. '

Logan seemed to hesitate for a few moments before responding sharply. 'For your sake, you better not try anything stupid, baldie.'

I smiled. 'Don't worry, Logan. I won't. Now, if it's alright with you,... I'd like you to close your eyes and try putting your mind in blank'.

'Fine,' Logan growled, closing his eyes.

'Very good, Logan. Now, this may feel a little ... strange. '

'Then hurry the hell up.'

Slowly I began to concentrate, and in a few seconds I began to receive some images and sounds coming from Logan's subconscious. It was then I truly realized the real magnitude of the damage that Logan's mind had suffered. Even now that he was calm and didn't oppose any resistance, his mind was still in chaos. The images and sounds I was receiving were like broken pieces of glass. Just incomplete parts of a whole.

Still, I tried to analyze the confusing information from Logan's mind as best as I could. One of them was a kind of ... operating room, or maybe some kind of laboratory. There were several figures inside, some wearing military uniforms and others wearing medical gowns, but all of them were blurred. The next thing I saw was how Logan was submerged in a kind of water tank and then... the pain. Suddenly I felt an almost indescribable agony, as if my body began to burst in flames and all my bones started to melt.

Then, suddenly, I heard voices and laughter.

{Success!}.

{We did it, gentlemen}.

{Weapon X}.

{Wolverine}.

Quickly the images began to pass faster and faster, while new voices began speak.

{James}.

{Runt}.

{I love you, James}.

{Kayla}.

{This ain't over, Jim! Do you hear me?! It ain't fucking over!}.

{Victor!}.

{Logan}.

{You are gonna die!}.

{You can call me Logan}.

{Don't you ever learn, runt?}.

{You're a fucking son of a bitch, Stryker}.

{You know what to do, Wyngarde}.

{We finally managed to capture him, gentlemen}.

{After all this time…}.

{You can proceed now, Miss Frost}.

{Heil Hydra}.

Immediately I began to be attacked by sounds of guns firing and horrible images of battles. I never thought that Logan's mind was in such a state. It was something really disturbing. Overwhelmed by the sensations, I had no choice but to abandon my search for answers. The experience had been too much for me.

'Well?', Logan asked me. 'What did you see?'.

'I ... I'm sorry, Logan, but I'm afraid I couldn't find anything truly substantial. Everything was very ... confusing. '

'What the hell do you mean by that?'

'The people who did this to you not only damaged your body', I said, 'they also damaged your mind. It's the first time I've experienced something like this. It's almost as if all your memories were broken. Even your subconscious seems to have suffered significant damage. '

'Go to the damn grain'.

I sighed. 'I don't think there's anything else I can do. I'm sorry to tell you that, for the moment, it's impossible for me to access your memories. I'm really sorry, Logan'.

Logan let out a bitter smile. 'I should have known this would be a waste of time,' he said, turning around and walking towards the door.

'Logan, wait!'.

'Good luck with your school of freaks, baldie'.

{Logan, stop}.

'What the hell do you want from me?!', Logan asked as he turned abruptly towards me.

{Professor, what the hell is going on?}, Scott asked me telepathically. {Are you okay?}.

{I'm fine, Scott. Do not worry about me}. 'I just want you to give me a chance to help you'.

'I think you've helped me enough, bub. It's time for me to do things my way'.

'You can't just leave. That could be extremely dangerous for you'.

'I can take care of myself, in case you haven't noticed. Just ask any of your students'.

'Please, Logan, listen to me', I pleaded. 'Just... give me a couple of days to think of a better way to find out what happened to you. Then, if you still wish so, you can leave. Just let me help you. Please'.

Logan frowned and looked at me with a hesitant look. 'You have forty-eight hours. Not one fucking minute more'.

'Thank you, Logan', I said, as I telepathically asked my students to come back into the office. 'I promise you won't regret this'.


	3. Scott Summers I

'Logan will be staying with us for a couple days.' Those were the words I heard coming out of the Professor's mouth. 'I hope you make his stay here a pleasant experience.'

{The Professor's got to be kidding. After everything that guy did?}.

'What the hell are you people supposed to do?', that guy Logan asked us mockingly.

'Let me answer your question, Logan', the professor said as he approached to us. 'This man is Doctor Henry McCoy, one of the most prominent teachers of my school'.

'It's a pleasure to meet you', Doctor McCoy said.

'Hank has extraordinary physical qualities. His strength, speed, coordination and senses are very advanced. He is also quite brilliant'.

'And hairy', Logan said. 'You look like a damn blue furball, bub'.

'Yes, I am ... aware of that fact', Doctor McCoy replied, obviously embarrassed.

'This young man right here is Warren Worthington III. Thanks to his mutation, Warren has the ability to fly. '

Warren nodded. 'Hello'.

'Nice wings'.

'T-thanks'.

{If that guy thinks he can make fun of us, I'll show him how wrong he is}.

'Piotr Rasputin', the professor continued. 'Piotr can transform his body into a metallic substance with characteristics that are quite similar to those of steel'.

'It is a pleasure', Pete said in his strong accent.

'I bet it is,' Logan replied.

'This young girl is Irina, Piotr's little sister. She has the ability to open interdimensional portals, which allows her to travel great distances'.

'It is a very big pleasure, sir'.

'Don't be afraid, kid'. Logan told her. 'I ain't gonna hurt you'.

{It's far too late to say that}.

'Kurt Wagner. Kurt like Irina has the ability to teleport himself, although he can do it without opening portals. He is also very fast and agile'.

'Hallo', Kurt said with a smile.

'You look like an elf,' Logan said. 'I assume you and the furball are related, aren't you?'.

Kurt's smile faded. 'Nein. Wir sind nicht verwandt'.

'Mein Fehler'.

I noticed almost instantly the surprise in Kurt's eyes.

'Sprechen Sie Deutsch?'.

'I…'. Logan seemed confused for a moment. '… Ja. Ich denke schon '.

Suddenly, Kurt smiled again. 'Das ist eine angenehme Überraschung, mein Freund!'.

'I didn't know you spoke German, Logan', the professor said.

'Yeah ... me neither', Logan replied.

{Something's not right. There might be even more things we haven't yet found out about this guy}.

The professor continued with the introductions. 'Miss Ororo Munroe. She has the ability to control the weather.'

"It is a pleasure, Logan', Ororo said.

Logan smiled. 'The pleasure is all mine, honey'.

'Alexander Summers'.

'Hi', Alex told him.

'Alex has the ability to absorb and process energy to then channel it through his body in the form of plasma discharges'.

'Sounds dangerous'. Logan's tone of voice indicated he thought the opposite.

'Robert Drake. The young Drake has the gift of generating, manipulating and controlling ice, snow and cold temperatures'.

'What's up?', Bobby said.

'Not much', Logan replied.

'Miss Jean Grey. Jean has remarkable telekinetic powers ... as well as an enormous telepathic potential. '

'I'm glad to meet you formally, Logan'.

Logan smiled again. 'Me too, honey. Me too'.

'She's also my girlfriend', I intervened instinctively.

Logan turned to me, and the professor seemed uncomfortable with the situation.

'This young man is Scott Summers.', the professor said, 'Alex's older brother ... and Miss Grey's boyfriend'.

'And what's your power, bub?', Logan asked me. 'Blindness? Why don't you take off those stupid glasses and let me look you straight in the eyes? '

'You want to see my eyes?', I said, reaching for my glasses.

{Scott, please, don't do it}, Jean begged me

'Enough!'. The professor's tone of voice took me by surprise. 'Stop this immediately!'

'Professor-'.

'Not a word, Scott', the professor said. 'Henry, Ororo, please show Logan one of our guest rooms. I will be with you right away. '

'As you say, Charles,' Doctor McCoy said.

'I guess we'll have to leave our conversation hanging, bub', Logan said, turning his back on me.

'Yeah', I replied, 'I guess so'.

Ororo and Doctor McCoy left the office with Logan, who seemed to find the whole situation amusing.

'All of you can retire to your rooms', the professor said. 'All except for Scott'. The professor looked at me. 'You and I need to talk. '

{Typical}.

'Did you something, Scott?'

I shook my head. 'No, professor. I didn't'. The others obeyed the professor and left his office. Jean was the last to do so.

{Good luck, Scott}.

Once everyone left and the door closed, I prepared for the inevitable confrontation with the professor.

'I'm disappointed in you, Scott', he told me.

'Why is that, professor?', I asked him. Because I didn't let that guy humiliate me or Jean?'

'No, Scott'.

'Then why?'.

'Because you let his provocations distress you.' The professor shook his head. 'Logan ... Logan is not a very sociable person, I admit it, but looking for a fight with him is not a good idea'.

'You say that because of his powers?'.

'No. I say it because I really believe, with all my strength, that violence is not the answer. Scott, I thought I taught you better than this. Not all mutants who need our help are going to be kind to us'.

'There's a big difference between not being kind and being a complete jerk," I said. 'Please, Professor, that guy is practically a thug. Am I the only one who remembers that a couple of hours ago he was trying to kill us?'.

'Logan was not himself', the professor said. 'I scanned his mind, Scott. He has no idea why he did what he did. But there's something I'm really sure about: he doesn't intend to harm us. He is just confused. And his mind ... If you had seen what I saw, Scott, I assure you that you wouldn't judge him so harshly'.

{I find that hard to believe}.

The Professor sighed. 'I don't want this clash between you to disturb the peace of the school. Like it or not, Scott, you're going to have to make the effort to get along with Logan. I'm not asking you to do this for me, Scott. I'm asking you to do this for _them_. All my students admire you. They think of you as someone they can trust. They think of you as their leader. And sometimes being a leader includes making difficult decisions. Do you understand what I'm saying, Scott? '.

I kept silent for few seconds before I answered. 'Yes, Professor. I guess I do'.

'I hope so', the Professor said. 'You can retire now, Scott.'

I left the office and went to my room. Something told me that, thanks to Logan, now the life in the mansion was going to be more difficult.


End file.
